A Multi-Scale Study of Powder Reconstitution Phenomena

Executive Summary until the tenth month
(PhD duration: 1st February 2019 – 31th January 2022)
The first year of the PhD work deals with the systemic physicochemical analysis of powders and their classification according to their reconstitution ability. It will be achieved at the end of January 2020. The PhD work has met the three stated deliverables for thirty powders.
Achieved deliverables:
(1) Powder classification according to their reconstitution behavior
(2) For selected powders: reconstitution kinetics in different conditions of temperature, stirring, etc.
(3) First statistical correlations between the various powder characteristics and reconstituability ranking
A first statistical classification was established for thirty powders. Four categories (green, yellow, orange and red) corresponding to various reconstituabilities were identified and summarized in the take home message (Figure 1). Long wetting time was associated to high particle surface hydrophobicity, small particle size, high protein and fat contents in the powder bulk. Long reconstitution time was linked to the powder manufacturing process (grinding) and low sugar content in the powder bulk. • Green group: short reconstitution time and short wetting time, • Yellow group: short reconstitution time and long wetting time, • Orange group: long reconstitution time and short wetting time, • Red group: long reconstitution time and long wetting time.
Figure 1. Take home message from the first year.